Evil Twin
by blaineanderbation
Summary: Blaine is anxious to meet Kurt's twin brother, Carson. When they finally do meet, it's not what everyone is expecting. Established Klaine. AU from The Purple Piano Project.
1. Chapter 1

So this is a SUPER short drabble. I've had writer's block for ages and I'm unable to write anything serious, so I content myself on tiny little plot bunnies. This is a one-shot. AU in which Kurt has a twin brother called Carson, established Klaine.

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><p>"He can't be <em>that <em>bad, Kurt. Come on."

"Clearly you have never met the likes of Carson Hummel. He's like my evil twin. Emphasis on the evil part." Kurt stirs his coffee delicately, and Blaine snatches the small complementary cookie that was Kurt's from the tray, having already scarfed down his own.

"It'll be so cool! You met Coop, this is my right. Are you abusing my rights in this relationship?" Blaine puts a hand to his chest and twists his face into an expression of severely exaggerated mock outrage, and Kurt rolls his eyes fondly.

"Yup. I'm huge, and dominating, and you have no say in it whatsoever, so shut up."

"That'd actually be pretty hot, y'know."

Kurt fixes him with a glare.

Blaine raises both hands up in the universal sign of giving up, and chugs the last remains of his drink down before getting up and offering a hand to Kurt. Smiling, Kurt accepts it.

In the end, Kurt doesn't get to decide if Blaine will meet Carson. Carson lives with Kurt's aunt, a formidable woman who'd never really wanted her sister to marry a garage worker. Carson manages to turn up every now and then, with no prior arrangement, and stays for a matter of hours and sometimes is not in Carson's vocabulary.

It was one of those longer stretches of time that Carson decides to stay, and Kurt completely forgets to tell Blaine to not come over their customary Tuesday study session. So when Carson opens the door to Blaine, things get very weird, very fast.

Blaine's face breaks into the huge smile he always has for Kurt, and he rushes in to hug Carson, relieved to be able to show a little bit of affection to his boyfriend away from judging eyes.

"You look different today. Is that Finn's jacket? And your hair. Did you cut it? I like it. Very bad boy-ish." Blaine wiggles his eyebrows and laughs. Meanwhile, Carson is staring at him like he has seen a ghost and pries Blaine off him.

"BURT! THERE'S AN INSANE HOBBIT TRYING TO MOLEST ME!"

"Very funny, Kurt. Are you sick? Your voice is kinda rough."

A head peeps from the kitchen door, looking very much like the one currently staring down at Blaine. Burt's voice is heard from somewhere upstairs.

"How many times have I told you to call me dad? You're speaking to your father, Carson!"

And then it clicks for Blaine, and he blushes to the roots of his gelled hair.

"Oh, you're Carson! I've heard so much about you, it's awesome to finally me-"

"And I'm going to guess you're the doritos-eyebrowed boyfriend Kurt won't stop yammering about?"

"CARSON! Go spread your misery somewhere else!"

Kurt has finally come to Blaine's aid, and stands facing Carson next to Blaine. The difference can be seen easily this way, and although there isn't much, it's enough to be able to tell them apart.

Carson is an inch or two taller than Kurt, and Blaine can see reading glasses poking out from his jeans pockets. His clothing style is more like Finn's, much more casual than Kurt. His voice is a touch deeper, his hair is a shade darker and his face much more gaunt. It reminds him of Kurt's when he first came to Dalton. While he's noting down these minute details, Kurt and Carson are going at it.

"Why? Want to have a sex marathon in the house? Oh god, you two have probably done it in my ro-"

"As if it'd make you any less filthy!"

"So you're not denying it?" Carson raises his eyebrows with a smirk nearly identical to the one Blaine sees on Kurt whenever he gets a one-up on Sebastian all too many times.

"Hey! You two! Stop it!" Blaine tries, feeling impossibly small next to the duo.

"Go play with your Power Rangers or something, kid. The adults are in an argument."

"He's one year younger than you for God's sake!"

"With that height? I'm surprised you're not accused of pedophilia daily."

"Carson! Leave your brother alone." Burt's tired voice is heard from across the entryway, and he's not looking as alarmed as Blaine is, apparently accustomed to these fights.

"Fine. Whatever. But if you have some weird twin fetish, Blainey-poo, you are _not _my type." Carson leaves with a decisive bang of the door and Blaine's brows furrow in confusion. Kurt, while massaging the bridge of his nose, mutters, "Bi."

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><p>Liked it? Hated it? Lemme know!:)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Surprise! So apparently...this is continuing.

Please note that I still find it very hard to write, and writing up even this much takes incredible effort on my part. So I've resolved to keep my chapters short but my updates frequent.

At the moment, I have a firm idea of where this is going, but how many chapters it's going to take, I have no idea. I was going to add another scene to this chapter, but things didn't turn out the way I expected it to. Reviews are very much appreciated, they're the reason I decided to continue this story.

I'm not exactly proud of what I'm writing, since I know I can do better, but I guess writer's block won't go away on it's own so I'm trying to push my way through it via the medium of crappy fan fiction.

One last thing! The time currently is The Purple Piano Project, so Blaine is still at Dalton and it's the beginning of a new year. Everything is up to canon until the end of season two.

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><p>After the meeting it's very awkward in the household, with Blaine mumbling and not really meeting Burt's eyes and the way Kurt blushes when he realizes they might have shouted a <em>little <em>too loud. They actually study for once, this Tuesday, door open like a model parent-approved relationship, not sitting too close and Kurt explaining to Blaine that no, Mr. Harwitch's tests aren't that hard and the trick is to focus on what questions he makes you answer in class.

Blaine leaves early that night around seven, with a quick, "My mom expects me to be on time for dinner." The lie is mostly meant for Burt's sake since Kurt knows fully well Mrs. Anderson couldn't care less about her son's absence at the table.

The next day at school Brittany walks up to Kurt, and it's one of those increasingly rare times Santana isn't by her side.

"Hey unicorn," she begins brightly, "I need your advice, since I'm pretty sure you're part-cat. If Lord Tubbington eats cat-shaped biscuits, does it count as cannibalism? I don't want him to go to prison!" Kurt gives her the scrutinizing look pretty much everyone does when she starts to act like this, then sighs and heads off to his next class.

At lunch time, it's Rory, who has apparently been shunned from sitting next to the New Directions boys since they picked Artie's side and are helping him nurse his heartbreak. "So buddy," Rory says, and he looks troubled. "I have this…problem." He's fidgeting with a napkin now. "Let's say, maybe, it would never happen, of course," he adds in a rush, "that you lied to a boy to get him to date you. How do you tell them that you were…lying? Without the boy breaking up with you?" Kurt shakes his head slightly and massages his temples, with his index finger and thumb, using his left hand to push his tray away. He doesn't think the food is mostly edible, anyway.

"Well," he starts testily, "I'd start by asking someone who cares." With that, he gets up and leaves a confused Rory behind.

It's nearing last period when it's the last straw for him. Santana approaches him, looking furious, and gets way too close into his personal space, poking him in the chest. "Listen, Hummel, Brittany is in the bathroom crying because she's afraid her damn cat is going to be arrested! What'd you do to her?" Santana is causing a scene, and a few onlookers roll their eyes, as if used to it. Just then, another voice joins the fray.

"Santana? What's going on?"

Santana turns around, looks at Kurt, looks at the second Kurt, then looks some more, then smiles in a borderline sociopathic way. "Well, you've done it. I've gone insane." Kurt pushes through the amount of people that are starting to gather. People are bored and anxious for anything to happen, and this might just be it. Jacob Ben Israel and his camera crew(also known as that one boy who never talks) are on their way.

"Carson?"

"Kurt?"

"What are you _doing _here?"

"You go to this school?"

"I could ask you the same question!"

"Yes, you idiot, I do! Answer my question, _what are you doing here?"_

"I enrolled."

Carson's confession is quiet, and there's an unearthly silence until Santana speaks up again.

"Hold this shit up, and will the REAL Kurt please step forward!"

Kurt moves closer to Santana.

"Now, angel face, you have some serious explaining to do." A microphone is shoved into his face and Jacob nods eagerly.

"There's nothing _to _explain. Carson is a…relative of mine, he-"

"How closely related? Cousin? Father's aunt's grandson? _Brother?"_ Jacob interrupts and Kurt grits his teeth.

"Carson Hummel is my twin brother, who, coincidentally, is about to _leave."_ Everyone looks stunned for a second and Kurt grabs Carson's hand and drags him to the parking lot, half-running, Carson easily keeping up with his strides. Once they're in the car and driving home, Carson riding shotgun, Kurt speaks, in a dangerously calm tone.

"Would you mind telling me, brother dearest, _what _you were doing at McKinley high?" Carson has the nerve to act snarky, and pushes his chair back. "Are you deaf, big brother?" He says mockingly. "I said I enrolled."

"What happened to your other school?" Kurt is not letting anything slip.

"Aunt Isobel wanted me to move schools." Carson admits with a shrug.

"And Lima, Ohio was the closest one she could find?" Kurt questions suspiciously.

Carson shrugs again, infuriatingly.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much for the feedback guys!:) So here's chapter three, slightly delayed but nevertheless, here x)

I'd just like to let you guys know that every Story Alert and review makes my heart go whee and encourages me to finish faster.

I'd really love it if you guys could comment as often as you story alert-ed, however. So a pretty please with a cherry on top for more reviews? I promise to write faster if you do!

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><p>When they get home, Carson is steered into the kitchen and sat down forcefully in one of the chairs, Burt and Kurt on either side. Kurt thanks the heavens it's Burt's day off because he's not sure he'd be able to handle this alone right now. He's not even sure where to begin, and is so thankful for his dad.<p>

"Carson. Would you like to explain yourself?" Burt's voice is tentative, as if afraid of setting off a trigger that'll cause Carson to close off.

"There's nothing _to _explain. Aunt wanted me to move schools, thought this one was convenient."

"Why this one?" Burt asks, and Kurt feels a little proud of his father for being so scrutinizing. Sure, it sucks when Burt notices how rumpled Kurt's hair is after a 'study session' but using those parent powers on your brother while you watch is a good feeling. Or would be, at least, if Kurt didn't have a nagging sensation that something with Carson was off.

"Best free school for a while, and I'm close to you guys." Carson says, and it's not a novel, but it's probably as close as they're going to get with him. Burt sighs as he hears Finn's keys turn at the door, always noticeable because he can never use the right key in the first try.

"This conversation isn't over, Carson. You hear me?" Burt calls out as Carson gets up and heads upstairs, seemingly not in the mood to confront Finn too. Finn only found out about him recently too, and they are in the awkward so-you're-technically-family stage. It's sad, because Kurt knows they could be good friends, if at the cost of bonding over anything related to Kurt.

Finn stumbles into the kitchen, ducking through the door out of habit, even though in the new house the door frames are all long enough to accommodate his large structure.

"Dude, the whole school is talking about you and Carson! It's all over Jacob's website!" Finn whisper-shouts to Kurt, one-handedly opening the fridge and reaching for the milk by reflex. Kurt, against his better judgement, takes out his smart phone and types in Jacob's website on the touch screen, grimacing slightly as he read the headline.

**KURT 'GAY-FACE' HUMMEL'S (POSSIBLY) STRAIGHT TWIN?**

Kurt Hummel himself today admitted to having a twin brother who, though having a similarly gay face, looks straighter than Kurt! We are not sure yet if this is some kind of trick of Hummel's to make him seem more eligible to boys(have he and the preppy school boy broken up?) or if what we have is some good old-fashioned family drama. What we are sure of, however, is…(Read More)

Kurt doesn't click on the link, instead locking his phone and resolutely pushing it into his pocket with a little more force than necessary. He can hear Carson's rap music pulsing through the house, making everything vibrate slightly. Finn is absent-mindedly humming along to the mindless tune and lyrics that consist mostly of fornicating with a bunch of pretty girls, milk swaying slightly. Kurt's phone beeps with a new text message and he resolves to ignore it, since he'll bet his winter scarf collection that it's one of the New Directions girls asking about Carson. Kurt, at this point, is utterly lost, even more so than when he saw Carson standing in the hallway of his school, an image so surreal and imaginary, two things that shouldn't get mixed up together, like amalgamating video games with real life.

However, in a few seconds he hears Blaine's customized ringtone and takes out his phone again, smiling a bit as the screen lit up with a picture of Blaine making a goofy face, eyebrows raised and tongue out.

"Hello?"

_"Hey Kurt! How are you?"_

Typical Blaine. Always with the manners.

"Not great, actually. Haven't you heard what's boiling at McKinley?"

_"Am I going to have to remind you I go to a different school?"_

"You know it's my incredibly subtle way of telling you to get your excellent ass over here."

_"I can't just abandon the Warblers. Those guys are my __friends."_

"Hmph. You have until Sectionals, mister."

"_Never mind that, what's this gossip you've been dying to tell me about?"_

"Guess who transferred to McKinley."

_"Kurt, we just discussed this!"_

"Not everything is about you, silly! Carson did!"

There's a few seconds of silence on the other line that stretch on for forever.

_"Carson? As in, your twin brother Carson Hummel?"_

"No, my freakin' great uncle's gardener. Yes, my brother!"

"_I thought he lived with your Aunt?"_

"That's what we thought too."

_"What are you going to do now?"_

"I have absolutely no idea."

_"I'll come over tomorrow."_

"Counting the hours."

_"Bye, Kurt."_

"Bye Blaine."

Kurt is the one that hangs up first, since he's decided to just try and go about life as normally as he can. Which includes homework. With a groan, he gets up and goes upstairs to change into casual house clothes(a pair of plain black slacks and a simple green button-up) and opens his bag, rummaging through his stuff.

There's a sticky note plastered to his History textbook, and he peels it off carefully, squinting to read the barely distinguishable handwriting.

**Fag.**

Kurt crumples up the sticky note and throws it in the garbage, repeats the mantra "someday I'll amount to something grand, and that day all they'll have will be their cruel words, more useless than ever," in his head, until the words lose meaning and bounce around in his head, and he shakes his head a bit as if to put some order in there again.

He really doesn't need Carson on top of all of his problems, especially when he's not sure if he can trust his own brother to be on his side through this ordeal.


	4. Chapter 4

My sincerest apologies, but it's so hard to update during the week what with school and extra activities!

This should stretch on for about four more chapters. Didn't expect much from it any way, but it's a fun journey to do something not-so-serious for once and not really care.

Quick P.S.- If you have any questions or would just like to talk with, please message me on tumblr(url is sherlockspantsDOTtumblrDOTcom) as I don't quite get how messages work yet, eheh xD(I'm also on there quite frequently and do post updates about the writing process)

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><p>The night passes rather uneventfully, with Carson, Kurt and Finn each locked up in their rooms under the pretext of doing homework. Kurt is doing fashion therapy, meticulously folding everything again in his drawers and trying to do anything to keep his hand moving and not idle. Carson has his earphones in and is working mainly on blocking out everything else, humming slightly while incredibly off tune(he hadn't inherited his mother's gift of song, unlike his brother). Finn had finally figured out the parental lock Burt had put on his XBox and was playing to his heart's content, fighting with Mike against Puck and Artie, who are currently getting their asses handed to them. Burt tries briefly to call Aunt Isobel, but she's probably had an unfortunate food poisoning incident or something similar(it wouldn't be the first time) because the phone rings for a while before Burt stops trying.<p>

The next morning is absolute chaos, starting from the moment Burt convinces Carson to get out of bed to the tantrum Kurt throws about the cars.

"Carson! You're making your brothers late!"

"I am not related to that gigantic rhino!"

"Hey! I'm not a rhi-"

"No, more of a hippo. I'd say hippopotamus, but I don't want to confuse you."

"I can say words like that! Hiphopatm-"

"It's pathetic to hear you try."

"Carson Hummel, this is the last time I am telling you to get out of that room before I crash the door for you!"

"How sweet of you, father."

"CARS-"

"Dad, calm down, you're going to give yourself another heart attack. I got breakfast ready, go and I'll take care of it." Burt shakes his head and smiles gratefully to Kurt, then descends the stairs and disappears off to the kitchen.

"Carson, school starts at eight thirty. It takes fifteen minutes to drive there. It's seven thirty. You're not out of bed yet. Do the stupid math, and stop _ruining _everyone's mor-"

Carson opens the door, fully dressed and ready, raising an eyebrow at Kurt before pushing past Finn and going down the stairs.

Kurt and Finn are left speechless upstairs, before Kurt puts himself together with dignity and follows suit, Finn stumbling after him with all the grace of a newborn calf.

Breakfast is a silent and rushed affair that lasts about ten minutes, and out the window goes the strained peace they had kept(mostly due to the fact that the boys' mouths were too full chewing to snap at each other). Only when they went outside and saw two cars in front of them did the problem start again.

Burt absolutely refused them taking two cars, spewing a seemingly well-rehearsed speech on pollution and the benefits of carpooling. Kurt declined taking Finn's car, and was resolutely clinging to his Navigator, and there was no question of anybody other than Kurt driving it. This left Finn and Carson arguing over shotgun. When the clock struck eight, Burt lost his temper and shooed a grumbling and vexed Carson into the back, while a very smug Finn complacently clambered in next to Kurt.

Carson gives them both the silent treatment all the way to school, but no one is prepared for the immediate attention of the crowds as they gather around the trio, staring at Carson like he's on display at the zoo. Said boy pushes his sunglasses further up his nose, reading glasses safely concealed in his backpack, and simply _forces _his way through the crowd, pushing and not really bothering to excuse himself. Pictures are taken with smart phones and tweets are passed lightning-quick as the whole school tracks the juiciest bit of gossip in a while, the hashtag on twitter being #thehummeltwins. Kurt manages to make it to homeroom unscathed before Mercedes catches a hold of him and practically forces him into the seat next to her.

"White boy, you have got some _explaining _to do." Mercedes says, and Rachel nods fervently, Santana leaning her chair backwards just a bit to catch a snippet of the conversation.

"Carson is just my brother. That's all there is to it, honestly."

"Is that why you've kept him a secret all this time?" Santana mutters, smirking.

"Or maybe he is cursed! Maybe you two were separated at birth and were just reunited!" Rachel cuts in dramatically, her love for anything theatrical cutting off her common sense.

Kurt glares at Santana and rolls his eyes at Rachel, instead taking his Algebra book out of his bag as he says the last few words. "There was never a reason to mention Carson before. He moved here, he's going to this school, that's final." Kurt ends the sentence with a decided bang as his heavy textbook hits the table, and for the next hour or so he concentrates as much as he can on the ever-changing numbers instead of the question nagging at everyone's mind in different forms and ways, but always coming back to that one essential word: _Why, why, why?_

Carson and Kurt are both a little less than ecstatic at finding out they had Algebra and English together, and even the teachers can't help but hide their shock and _oh, aren't they the most adorable little things _and _Carson and Kurt are going to be partners for this project!_

By lunchtime, the twins have had enough and Kurt sits down at the glee club table in a nasty mood, Carson following behind him slightly hesitantly, worrying his bottom lip as he slides in next to Kurt, who's about to insult the living hell out of him as retribution for the morning but one look at Carson's extremely uncomfortable and slightly pink face has him clamping his mouth shut. Soon the entire club is seated around them, Rachel on Kurt's right(he won't have her on his left, since she eats way too expressively and her hand keeps jutting against his since Kurt is right-handed too. Today is no exception, as she blabbers on about how her and Kurt have been researching NYADA while he tries his best to look engrossed, but secretly shoots longing glances at where the boys are discussing last night's game, and how Mike's strategy wasn't fair, and no, just because Artie doesn't have the use of his legs it does not change how he plays the video game.

Meanwhile, Kurt sits squished between an over animated Rachel and an unusually silent Carson, who is watching Brittany talk to Tina with a bit more attention than strictly necessary, and Kurt hopes that somebody clues him in before Santana catches sight of him because her wrath won't be pretty to watch.

The school day is ending and the interest for Carson has drastically worn off once people have determined that no, he isn't joining glee club, he tried out for the football team and a little birdie told Finn that there's a high chance he's making it in and Carson and Kurt are as unalike as twins can be.

Once they get home, Kurt and Carole prepare dinner together while the boys lounge in the TV room, and when Kurt goes to call them to the kitchen he sees how perfectly Carson fits into their little misfits family, like the puzzle piece that fits snuggly into its spot, completing the picture. He thinks he could get used to this.

That is, until things go very, very wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

Endless apologies to how long this took! It's been such a hustle-y bustle-y two weeks what with the spring break a week away, and I've been feeling sick but I decided to put this up anyway. I live on reviews and story alerts!3

Without further ado, chapter five, ladies and gents.

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><p>"Carson, how many times are we supposed to drag you out of bed!"<p>

"M'sick. Not going."

"Don't give me that crap, open the door."

"Sick." Kurt is tempted to pull at his hair in frustration, but exercises control, taking deep, steadying breaths instead. Mrs. Karp is notorious for giving detention for factors as simple as being late, and he has a coffee date with Blaine which he will spend most of cajoling him into coming to McKinley.

Carson, however, seems hellbent on ruining that for him.

"Carson, sweetie, are you sure you're sick? Have you got a fever?"

Carole knocks on the door slightly and uses her best motherly voice, and Kurt hears a distinctive sneeze that sounds real before the gruesome sound of a nose being blown, and Carole gently opens the door, Kurt ready to bang his head on the wall for not realizing it was actually open.

The sight in front of them is enough to confirm that Carson, for once, wasn't lying, a plethora of tissues were scattered about randomly on the bed and on the floor, Carson had heaped up as many blankets as he could on himself, and Kurt flinched at the sight of his twin's face. He had circles under his eyes, his hair kept flopping into his face, the edges of his nose were an angry red, raw from being rubbed at and there was a slight sheen of sweat even as he shivered.

"Oh, darling," Carole mutters before flinging herself onto the bed, collecting the tissues with no care as to infecting herself. Kurt vaguely remembers a similar memory of his own mother, back when he and Carson still lived together, age six, and Kurt had the flu. Carson wasn't allowed in the room no matter how much he begged to see his brother, and even his dad stayed clear of the area, whereas his mother was always right there, next to him, there when he needed him, and Kurt remembers her getting sick too later on. But it hadn't mattered to her.

Trying to shake his head clear of the thoughts before traitorous tears could fall, he returns to the present, where Carole bounds past him and announces to the household that yes, Carson is sick, yes, he isn't going to school today, and no, Finn, you can't spend a school night over at Puck's.

With much grumbling from Finn and a worried look from Kurt that Carson misses(mainly too busy throwing up into a bucket) the step-brothers head out for school, wary of the gossip.

As it turns out, they needn't have worried, for without Carson present it looks like the thoughts have evaporated from their minds. Once they arrive home, Carson has moved from the upstairs guest bedroom to the couch, along with the blankets and tissues, eyes bleary and half-closed while staring unseeingly at the TV screen, where Snooki and some tanned guy are arguing over some bottle.

"Bad day?" Kurt asks softly, and Carson has the energy to snort(which ends up in him diving for a tissue) and roll his eyes.

Burt arrives in the living room too, a frown on his face.

"You know, you're Aunt Isobel has not been answering any of my calls these past two days. Do you know anything, Carson?" The sick boy blows his nose before turning around slowly, facing away from the TV, and shrugs.

"She might've forgotten her cell at home and visited a friend. She does that a lot."

"Yeah, but for two days?" Another shrug. Burt knows that Isobel and him were never on the best of terms, but he thought she might care enough to know that Carson made it back alive and yes, Burt is taking him back. There was never really a question that he would, but he enjoys Isobel getting flustered.

Carole's "Dinner's ready!" puts an end to that discussion, and Carson manages to get up from his sick bed and plop himself down in a chair, looking thoroughly out of it and exhausted by the twelve foot trudge into the kitchen.

Dinner passes slowly with Carson barely touching his Caesar salad and Finn and Burt discussing the new season and how the team is doing, while Kurt offers to take Carole off to the mall because did she see, they're having a lovely sale and she'd look amazing in a soft green.

Carson is sent to bed early with instructions to evaluate how he's doing in the morning and everybody heads off to their various occupations, Finn to his room to pretend to do homework while playing video games, Carole and Burt downstairs watching TV. Kurt tentatively knocks on Carson's door, and it's a good thing he did, because Carson seems on the edge of hysteria. He's burning, and he's babbling incoherently about something. Kurt catches a few words, things like 'mom' and 'aunt' and 'please' and a whole lot of 'no's. Kurt hollers for Carole, who runs up the stairs with Burt following close behind, clutching at his chest slightly.

Finn and Kurt help Carson down the stairs, who, halfway through, must realize he's being moved because he starts kicking and thrashing, resolutely trying to get away. He's pushed into the back of Burt's old truck with Kurt and Carole, and Finn drives to the hospital because Burt doesn't look like he's in any condition to drive, riding next to Finn and constantly turning back, as if Carson might disappear if he kept his eyes off him for too long.

The drive seems to never end and once they're out they call for a stretcher and two nurses and a doctor put Carson onto the stretcher, who tries to fight back weakly but mostly remains stationary.

Kurt can't stand it in the waiting room, too many grave memories because he's lost his mother waiting in this room and almost his father and he can't do it, can't stand waiting to know the fate of his twin in the stupid white room with the stupid nurses and _stupid _cheap chairs-

He waits outside, instead, takes deep breaths and tells himself not to cry because crying isn't going to make Carson better and how did it even come to this?

It was a simple flu, nothing more, just stay in bed a few days and you'll be fine, wasn't it?

So why was he so afraid? Why did he get that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that screamed that something was not okay?

Burt calls him inside after a while. He doesn't know how long, he's lost count of time, hasn't bothered to check his phone or the watch on his wrist that he wore mostly for fashionable purposes.

The doctor greets them with a smile on his face, and explains the problem in such a medical and abstract way, but no _this isn't science this isn't shots and tubes and cold metal, this is Carson, a living breathing human being!_ Kurt's mind screams at him.

"He should be completely fine. He simply got scarlet fever. Has Mr. Hummel never been vaccinated?"

"No, his aunt never got him vaccinated."

"Ah, well, no matter, it's ridiculously easy to cure. It just went a little too long untreated is all." The doctor smiles again, eyes flicking from Finn to Carole to Burt to Kurt, and lingering a little more on Kurt.

"You're his twin brother, I'm presuming?"

"What an excellent deduction. I really feel like my brother's life is in safe hands with this genius." Kurt would never be so rude, normally, but he's sleep deprived and anxious and just wants to see his brother.

The doctor purses his lips and makes a motion for them to follow, and opens a door into a sterilized and pristine room, where Carson is fast asleep, hooked up to sedatives. The sight brings back horrible memories, and Kurt, as if he were seven again, turns and presses his face into his father's chest.

It's silly, to act like this, when logically he knows that Carson is perfectly fine, or at least is going to be, but his heart won't hear it.

Kurt tentatively takes a step forward and grasps Carson's hand in his, which is mostly unresponsive.

"I'm sorry." Kurt says, and he's not sure what he's apologizing for, for all the times he made fun of his twin when he should be apologizing because he stayed with his dad while Carson lived apart from the only person he had left, for the times he thought himself above him, for everything. "I'm so sorry." He whispers again, too low for the three behind him to hear.

Burt forces Kurt to go home once it nears two in the morning, that he'll stay here with Carson, and no, Kurt is not missing school over a fever, so that is how a very angry Kurt and a timid Finn and Carole end up at home at three AM, Kurt doing ever mundane task with just a little bit more force and aggressiveness than necessary.

The next day is a tired blur of go home get to Carson see how he is, and when he finally arrives home and sees Carson's face, his eyes a pale stormy gray, looking worse for wear but alive, he runs up and hugs him in a very un-Kurt Hummel like fashion, and Carson falters for a moment before hugging him back tightly too, and both miss the fond smile Burt casts their way.

Carson recovers quickly, drinking all the soup Carole makes and every medication the doctor prescribes, and he's up on his feet again in two days, a Sunday.

Kurt has spent most of his weekend with Blaine, who still seems adamant about transferring, infuriating him to no end. When he sits down with Carson on Sunday morning and talks to him about it, Carson smirks and looks as though he is thoroughly enjoying Kurt's pain.

Vexed by his twin and boyfriend, Kurt heads to school on Saturday in a bitter mood, and life passes fine until he gets a call from Carson between second and third period.

"Carson?"

"Hey big brother. Come over to the bleachers."

"Wha-Why?"

"Come over to the bleachers, please." Kurt's insides coil up and there are butterflies in his stomach, and not in a good way. What would Carson need? Is he okay? He used the word please. Carson would never do that unless it's important. Oh god, what h_appened?_ Kurt repeats those two words in his mind like a mantra, as if it would give him the answer, and power walks to the bleachers, which are on the other side of the school, like a lovely little fuck you to him. He goes the fastest way, through the gym, ignoring a fleeting comment of, "Get out, homo." And strides outside, into the fall sunlight.


	6. Chapter 6

I'd say I have a good reason but I don't. This chapter is short, I know. Whoops! Have some background info to make up for it.

After this, there'll be two more chapters, and if people want, an epilogue.

sherlockspants on tumblr, and also, the ratio between reviews and story alerts, people, is at an all time low. Disappointed in all of you! The more reviews, the quicker I update. Pretty please, darlings?

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><p>"Carson?" Kurt calls out, cupping his hand over his eyes to shield his eyes from the sun.<p>

"Over here!" Carson's voice calls from somewhere to his left, and Kurt whips around.

Standing in the bright sun and squinting like idiots, are two people Kurt loves more than anything but feels like murdering right now.

"BLAINE?" Kurt shouts, and the boy in question steps forward and has the audacity to wave cheekily at him. After a moment, Kurt registers that Blaine isn't in his Dalton blazer. Rather, he has on a tight black shirt(god help him), a pair of firetruck bright pants that somehow manage not to be tacky or gaudy, and an adorable bow tie.

"You going to stand there for a while?" Carson calls out, smirking, and Kurt ignores him in favor of rushing over and hugging Blaine, and after a quick peek around, kissing him. Blaine's lips are slightly chapped and dry from the cold and they glide over his with practiced ease, until Carson coughs quite loudly and Kurt rolls his eye.

"Sorry guys, not one for an exhibitionist kink. Well, Kurt? Like my surprise?" Carson teases, and Kurt snorts.

"Fuck you, I almost had a heart attack."

"Um, no thanks. But I think Blaine would take you up on that offer." Kurt and Blaine blush simultaneously, causing Carson to laugh harder.

"Don't you have a class to get to, Carson?" Blaine questions, and Carson shrugs then leaves.

"What do you have now?"

"French."

"You're more fluent than the teacher, Kurt. I have Chem. I think we can afford to skip." Blaine says with a mischievous grin, and Carson isn't very surprised at all when Mercedes tells him Kurt never made it to class.

During fifth period, a voice is heard over the intercom.

"Carson Hummel, please report to the Principal's office. Carson Hummel." Everyone is staring at him when he leaves class and Carson can't help the ominous feeling building up in him. The principal himself doesn't look particularly threatening. He's a relatively short Indian man, with an accent Carson would've found hilarious had he not been so nervous.

"Take a seat please, Carson. Your father will be here in a minute." Carson lowers himself down into one of the plastic chairs, shaking slightly, and there's an awkward silence for the next five minutes where Principal Figgins tries futilely to appear as if he's scanning through paperwork.

Burt enters the room calmly, and Carson tries not to allow himself to hope that maybe the situation isn't so dire.

"Carson, I got a call from your Aunt today." Carson feels himself lock up, freezing, every muscle in his body going rigid. He should have known this would happen, that his aunt would eventually catch on.

"Want to explain to me why she's not registered as your legal guardian here?"

His throat is clogging up and this is not good. Burt places a hand on his knee and Carson looks down at that, trying to establish a rhythm with his breaths and not panic, refusing to meet their eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me she threw you out?" Burt tries again, and Carson looks up at that, and is grateful to find that his voice is almost completely steady.

"Sh-she saw me with a…guy in my bedroom, and said that- said that no niece of hers would be a…" Carson doesn't say the word, but Burt doesn't need to let him complete the sentence to know where that ended.

"Carson, listen to me. The answer to this question will not change how I feel about you. Are you gay?"

Carson shakes his head violently.

"No, I'm bi, at least I think I am, and it gets so confusing sometimes…" Burt nods, and pulls Carson in for a hug, muttering, "It's okay," and "It gets better," all the while.

After an immeasurable amount of time, he pulls away slightly, still holding Carson's arms.

"Do you feel okay with returning to class?"

"I- yeah." Carson manages. Burt nods, proud, and Carson gets up and leaves quietly. Burt turns on Figgins.

"Care to tell me _why _it took so long to figure out that the signature on Carson's papers did not match my actual signature?"

Figgins blubbers for a second, then shrugs, as if to say, _it's a public school, what am I to do?_

Kurt corners Carson at lunch time, and raises an eyebrow. It's really not that hard to figure out what he's asking about, but Carson plays oblivious to buy some time.

"What?"

Kurt's eyebrows both rise.

"Is this about the principal thing?"

Kurt is refusing to speak, eyebrows raised, lips pursed and head tilted to the side in a classic _really?_ look.

Carson sighs.

"Nothing, just a small issue with the paperwork." It isn't a complete lie, he just excluded a few points. Omission didn't count as lying, right?

Kurt still seems skeptical but apparently decides to wait until a more convenient time to ask him questions, since Blaine has just appeared in his line of sight and it's kind of sickening to watch as both boys' face lights up with joy and they rush towards each other, but at the last second Kurt refrains, remembering that they are in a public school in Lima, Ohio, and this isn't Dalton or New York. So he settles for a quick touch of Blaine's shoulder but it's enough for them, for now, a promise of a better later.


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing to say here:3

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><p>Blaine is with them on the ride home and Finn is heading over to Puck's, which means, no questions asked, that Carson is most definitely riding in the back while Kurt and Blaine are sickeningly adorable together.<p>

"How cool would it be if we had a couple name, like those celebrities?" Blaine offers.

"Oh my god! We should do that." Kurt's excitement shows on his face, eyes lighting up even about such trivial issues as long as they include Blaine.

"Okay…how about, B-urt?"

"My father, you asshat!" Kurt punches Blaine playfully on the shoulder, who starts laughing as he realizes what he's done.

"Fine, how about Blurt?"

"Still too close. I don't want to think of it while you and I are getting…intimate." Kurt blushes at the last bit, and Blaine sends a wink inconspicuously over at Carson, who mimes chundering.

"Okay fine, cross out my name as the beginning then. Kaine?"

"Sounds like Kanye." Carson supplies.

"Everyone's a critic." Blaine mutters and slumps into the chair.

"What about Klaine?" Carson and Kurt say at the exact same time, and Blaine is too blown away by super-twin powers to remember to be upset.

"That is so awesome! How'd you guys do that?"

"We're actually on the same mental wave length." Carson quips, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Also, friendly reminder: still not doing a threesome." Carson adds, since Blaine appears to have lost himself in the moment, eyes glazed over.

"Shut up, Carson. Blaine and I will be studying in my room-"

"Studying." Carson scoffs.

"Yes, _studying, _and you will be in yours-"

"Making no noise and pretending I don't exist." Kurt doesn't catch the Harry Potter reference, but Blaine grins and gives Carson a double thumbs-up before hopping out of the car after Kurt cuts the engine off, Carson smiling a bit in spite of himself when Blaine doesn't even bother to help the facade, instead leaving his book bag in the car. Honestly, those sex-crazed hooligans.

They must have more control than Carson had thought, however, when Kurt comes into his room and leans against the doorway, arms crossed.

"Here to seduce me?"

"Carson, what happened today?" Kurt's tone leaves no room for argument.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because all you've ever had is a loving father!"

The words tumble out of nowhere, forcing themselves out of Carson's mouth, and there's no way, absolutely no way to take them back in and _no no no Kurt wasn't supposed to hear that this isn't his fault but it isn't my fault-_ Kurt inhales sharply and stares at Carson, mouth open slightly in shock and bewilderment.

"What are you insinuating?"

"Nothing! Life just isn't that easy for some of us!"

"Easy? You want _easy?_ I was _raped, threatened to be murdered, _got bullied every single _day! _You call that _easy?"_

"At the end of the day, you had someone who accepted you to come back to. I didn't have that."

"C-Carson.."

"I got kicked out. Happy? Now you know. I got kicked out, and this was the only place I could come."

Kurt rushes over, almost tripping in his haste to get to Carson on the bed, and throws his arms around his little brother, holding him tight. The angle is uncomfortable since half his body is twisting away, blocked by the high bed, but he wouldn't ever let go just now until Carson wanted to.

And not let go Carson does. Kurt watches the minutes tick by on the digital clock on Carson's bedside table, his twin's hold squeezing slightly every now and then, as if to reassure himself Kurt is still there. When Kurt has watched the little green-glowing numbers change over twenty times, he relaxes his hold slightly, pulls back, to find that Carson has fallen asleep on him. He lowers him gently onto the pillow, heart hurting at the sight of the tear tracks on cheeks almost identical to his, eyes red and puffy. Kurt sniffs a bit before he realizes he's doing it, closing the door gently behind him as he leaves. Blaine is sitting on his bed, cross-legged, eyes skimming over a magazine he found on Kurt's bedside table, not really taking it in.

He looks up at Kurt's entrance, smiles a bit and gets up without a word, enveloping Kurt in a hug which he sags into gratefully, letting out a chocked sob.

"He's gone through so much- and he does the same thing I do, hides behind all these walls of snark to seem omnipotent and not vulnerable but he's just a broken kid and I didn't do anything to st-" Kurt's voice breaks again, and Blaine rubs his back, trying desperately to think of a way to comfort him. In the end, he unwraps himself, holding both of Kurt's hands in his, pulling them over to Kurt's chest.

"Listen to me. You can't blame yourself for any of this. It's not your fault there's so much wrong in this world, your only hope is to try and make a difference. And Kurt, you've made all the difference in the world." Blaine says sincerely, eyes conveying nothing other than complete honesty and love for the boy before him.

Kurt attempts to laugh. It turns out throaty. "How are you so wise for a seventeen year old?"

"I learnt from the best." Blaine answers, putting his forehead against Kurt's, rubbing their noses together slightly, causing Kurt to laugh again.

"God, I love you." Kurt murmurs, and Blaine shivers with delight.

"Love you five ever." Blaine jokes, causing Kurt to break apart and punch him playfully with a, "Way to break the mood."

"Told you I wasn't good at romance."

"Only when you don't want to be."

"Are you accusing me of holding back?"

"Yes, Mr. Anderson, I am."

"My honor has been questioned. This calls for a duel in the form of a duet."

"Does it?"

"Yup, it's how the Warblers dealt with it."

"I bet they did."

"Don't change the subject, we're still dueling."

"Alright then, Anderson, pick your weapon."

"Hmm…" Blaine hops over to Kurt's bed stand, turning on the iPod in it's dock and flicking through the songs. He makes a pleased noise, then clicks on a song. Soft guitar plays, and Kurt smiles.

"_When I look into your eyes…_" Blaine starts, walking back over to Kurt.

"_It's like watching the night sky, or a beautiful sun rise but there's so much they hold._" Blaine flourishes a hand, indicating Kurt.

"_And just like them old stars I see that you've come so far to be right where you are, how old is your soul?_" Kurt trills, leaning over to Blaine and lacing their hands together, and their voices harmonize for the chorus.

"_Well I won't give up on us, even if the skies get rough, I'm giving you all my love, I'm still looking up._" Kurt is getting too emotional, so Blaine picks up.

"_And when you're needing your space, to do some navigating, I'll be here patiently waiting, to see what you find. See them the stars they burn, some even fall to the Earth, we got a lot to learn, God knows we're worth it! No I won't give up…_" Blaine lets Jason Mraz finish the rest, choosing to put an arm around Kurt as they flop onto the bed.

"Thank you." Kurt manages, and they tumble back into bed, lying quietly together in each others' arms, at peace.

"I totally won." Blaine murmurs, voice rough with sleep.

Kurt is drifting off and Blaine is snoring slightly when Kurt hears the door creak open, with Carson peeping in. Kurt carefully takes his arm out from under Blaine's waist, following Carson into the hallway.

"I'm sorry. I took it all out on you, when you were the least guilty."

"Hey, don't. I have just as much blame to take on for not realizing something was wrong. But it's going to get better, Carson, it really is."

"I hope so, Kurt."

"I know so." Kurt answers, smiling a bit tearfully, and hugging Carson one last time before he returns to his room. Things were going to get better.

"Hey Carson!" Kurt shouts as an afterthought hits him.

"Yeah?" Carson leans in from his doorway.

"Some friends and I are going on a picnic this Saturday. You're coming." Carson rolls his eyes.

"Thanks for the invite. Very subtle." They both laugh, eerily alike, then return to their respective rooms, each boy feeling much better.

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><p>I have absolutely no excuse for the month breakx) Frantic life!<p>

On the bright side(or down side, depending on how you look at it) two chapters left!

The song used is I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz. I usually hate songs in fics, but I only used a small part and this song is so perfect for them.

For those curious, this song is actually in the Glee Graduation Album, but Lea tweeted she's doing a song by Jason Mraz and it's the only Jason Mraz song in the album, so it seems pretty likely it's Rachel singing it. Ah well.

Hope you guys like!:) Remember to review pretty please?


	8. Chapter 8

To be honest you guys, this fic was abandoned. But then you kept reviewing and I was all, aww, I can't leave these guys stranded! So here you go. One more chapter after this one, and thanks for pushing me to this!:)

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><p>"Two non-itchy blankets?" Kurt hollers, looking up.<p>

"Check!" Blaine shouts right back down.

"Enough strawberries to probably solve Africa's famine issue?" Kurt shouts again.

"Not funny, Kurt, but yeah, most likely." Blaine answers.

"Cran-" Kurt begins, but is interrupted with a, "ONE OF YOU GODDAMN IDIOTS MOVE TO THE SAME FLOOR OR I SWEAR BLAINE WE'LL SEE HOW CLOSELY YOU RESEMBLE HUMPTY-DUMPTY!" Kurt giggles silently while Blaine eyes a very angry looking Carson wearily, who has just banged open his room's door.

Downstairs, Kurt says very meekly, "Cranberry juice?"

His phone vibrates a second later with a text from Blaine, a 'yes' in all caps and several exclamation marks.

"Alright gentleman, that's all we're required to bring, off to the car!" Kurt skips along holding the blankets while Blaine struggles to keep up, holding a cooler with close to twenty packets of strawberries in it, Carson smirking behind him with a can of cranberry juice.

"Hey, we all said we'd carry one thing off the list. Don't pout, Blaine dear." Kurt snarks, earning him a glare from Blaine.

Carson ends up with shotgun, only because it takes Blaine a good two minutes to heave the cooler into the Navigator's trunk. "So where are we going?" Carson asks after a while, the radio softly chanting, _lay me down in a bed of roses, _as Blaine grumbles in the backseat.

"Stop being such a baby, Blaine, it isn't very becoming of you. And we're going to that park they built next to Lima memorial."

"Well isn't that depressing." Carson observes.

"Not as much as your face." Kurt replies.

"Shut up." Blaine says.

"We have the same face, dumbass." Carson mumbles.

The ride passes in relative silence after that, until they pull to a stop in front of a cheerful-looking park with a swing set and a tiny slide despite the fact that it is, indeed, only thirty or so feet away from the graveyard. Kurt and Carson both stop for a moment, identical eyes moving towards the last rows on the left, centering in on a silver gravestone. Blaine clears his throat awkwardly and points a little way into the distance, where most of the Glee club is already seated on the grass or a blanket, sandwiches and tupperwares being passed around. Santana and Brittany are swinging lightly on the set, hands linked and mouths moving, words indiscernible.

Once they're noticed, there's a little cheer and Finn hastens to help Blaine with the strawberries, looking quite guilty for leaving Blaine with the Hummel twins, having slept over at Rachel's the night before.

"So, New Directions plus Kurt's twin and Blaine Warbler, I'd like to make a cranberry juice toast to-"

"You realize they have names, right Puck?" Puck makes a noncommittal noise.

"To beating Blaine's ass at Sectionals!" Puck raises his cup high, and everyone does the same and drinks while Blaine sputters indignantly. "Assholes." He swears under his breath, and Kurt turns and kisses him on the cheek, and when Blaine turns his face gives him an eskimo kiss. Carson mimes retching and Rachel coos.

The day passes nicely after that. Once eating (a simple affair with pasta salad, sandwiches, tarts, and as many desserts as Rachel's animal sweaters) is done, Mike takes out a ball from his bag and the guys all cheer before running off to play. Blaine looks conflicted for a moment, before Kurt sighs and says, "Just go," and he bounds off like a puppy to play football with the rest of them, but not before kissing Kurt chastely in appreciation. Kurt hums into it and watches Carson and Blaine interact with the boys of McKinley's Glee club, then turns back to his girls who have already delved into a deep discussion on the merits of leather underclothes.

A while later, there's a distant rumble, and Kurt feels a drop of water land on the bridge of his nose.

"Brittany," he hisses, who had returned from the swings in favor of chocolate-covered strawberries, "weren't you supposed to check the weather?"

She looks at him with wide eyes and nods fervently.

"And?"

"I touched my boobs like that girl in the movie Santana and I watched yesterday, and I felt that it was going to be a sunny day." Brittany smiles. Kurt groans. "Alright guys, start packing up and I'll go call the guys back before we get caught in the worst of it. The sky is indeed beginning to darken fairly quickly, and the next strike of lightning catches Kurt by surprise. It sounds uncomfortably close.

"Guys! We're going back, it's gonna pour!" Kurt hollers, and yes, the steady stream is about to begin, the grass is starting to make squelching noises under his feet. They all grumble but comply, and they're almost back at the cars when Kurt notices something. It's raining heavily now.

"Where the hell is Carson?" He has to near-shout to be heard over the sound of the rain.

He gets blank looks in return and curses, because Kurt knows there's only one place Carson would go right now.

"Blaine, can you wait in the car for me? Everyone else go home, I need to go get Carson." Blaine nods and the glee kids bid farewells before getting into their respective cars.

Kurt jogs lightly over the grass, careful not to slip, and hears another clap of lightning, and _oh god, were these always this loud? _He's nearing his mom's grave when he thinks he really should be seeing Carson's standing form somewhere near it, and unconsciously a cold sweat builds at his forehead even though the weather is getting progressively colder.

"CARSON!" Kurt yells. No one replies.

"CARSON!" Cricket silence. Kurt doesn't want to approach his mother's grave. He feels eight again, when he didn't want to go to his mother's funeral, because that would be it, denial would be done, his mother would be dead.

It's been ten years and he approaches the grave at the slowest gait he can manage, and sprawled on the floor, features so relaxed he might've been asleep, drenched in the mud of his mother's grave, is Carson Hummel, dead.


End file.
